When it comes to the Chicago Sky’s most glaring problems, it’s rarely just about threes and turnovers—those are merely the symptoms. Yes, opponents have drained 16 three-pointers against them on three separate occasions this season. And turnovers? The Sky are surrendering a staggering 18.9 per game, dead last in the WNBA. The only team in modern history that came close to that level of carelessness was the 1999 Washington Mystics, who averaged 21.1 turnovers. But dig deeper, and those numbers reveal something more troubling: a team that isn’t learning, burning through possessions with no urgency, no spark under the lid—and that lack of fire is exactly what’s dragging them down.

Yes, their three wins this season have been collective efforts, with everyone locking in. But their nine losses? They all trace back to the same root causes. Accountability, it seems, has been optional. Case in point: after falling to the Mystics, Ariel Atkins was asked what went wrong in the third quarter. Her response was emblematic: “No, that’s what we got to figure out. I don’t have an answer for you… That’s what we got to figure out. We’ll figure that out.” A lot of words, zero solutions.

Finally, in a recent postgame presser, someone pressed Tyler Marsh directly: “At what point does there need to be some type of change? Either from a roster standpoint or in how you guys approach game planning and mindsets?” And Marsh didn’t dodge.

“It’s something that we continue to look at, especially game plan‑wise and what we have internally. We’ve mixed up the lineups here and there. We’ve played several different lineups with multiple ball‑handlers out there just to kind of maintain and handle the pressure,” he said.

That admission came on the heels of their humiliating 107–86 blowout loss to Phoenix, a game where the Sky coughed up 21 turnovers and allowed the Mercury to hit a franchise-record 17 threes. It wasn’t a one-off either. Just weeks earlier, against the New York Liberty, the Sky surrendered 23 turnovers and 19 three-pointers—both among the worst marks in recent league memory. Marsh’s comment didn’t just reflect a tactical shuffle; it underlined a team that’s searching—desperately—for a structure that holds. And yet, despite having top-tier names like Angel Reese, Kamilla Cardoso, and Marina Mabrey on the roster, nothing has clicked long enough to build momentum. “We’ve been struggling to find something that consistently works,” Marsh added, almost echoing the same frustration fans have had all season.

And while it’s easy to assume the next logical step would be a roster overhaul, Marsh stopped short of going there. “In terms of changing the roster, I don’t really want to get into that.” It was a deliberate sidestep, but one that made sense in context. Chemistry—not talent—is the glaring gap, and Marsh knows pulling pieces apart right now might only worsen the cracks. So, what’s left? Unity. “I think what we’ve got to focus on is who we have in this locker room right now, and understanding what we’ve got to do to be the best version of who we are and who we have right now,” he emphasized. It’s a nice sentiment. On paper, it’s a solid strategy. But for Sky fans—still chasing that 2021 magic—the wait is starting to wear thin. And thankfully, it is not just the coach who has begun to accept the locker room woes.

Elizabeth Williams, sounding tired of how things have been unfolding since May, did not mince her words when laying down her expectations. “I think the mindset is just to give more to play, harder play, with a greater sense of urgency,” Williams added. “As many games as they are, they do come quick. So, the mentality has to be to be better the next day- to learn from the losses and grow.“

Well, it remains to be seen how many of the ABCs the Sky will have learned the next time they take the court.

Angel Reese taunted with her own catchphrase

The Phoenix Mercury’s 107-86 demolition of the Chicago Sky was way more than just another win. Phoenix dropped a season-high 107 points while draining a franchise-record 17 three-pointers. They tied a WNBA record with six different players hitting at least two threes. The overall effort was led by Sami Whitcomb’s sharpshooting (5 threes, 17 points). Kahleah Copper added 16, and Kalani Brown finished it off with just her second career buzzer-beating triple.

This fifth straight win has pushed Phoenix to 11-4 and cemented them as one of the league’s most dangerous squads. Chicago, meanwhile, has completely fallen apart. Their 21 turnovers gave crucial points to Mercury. Kamilla Cardoso and Michaela Onyenwere each scored 17 for the Sky, but that barely made a dent in the damage. The real drama started after the game, though.

Mercury star Kahleah Copper made a now-viral tweet. She wrote “DUBS IN THE MF CHATTTT.” Casual fans might’ve missed the shade. But WNBA die-hards immediately recognized it as a callback to Angel Reese’s famous “DUBS IN THE CHAT! THANK YAAAA!” celebration from earlier this season. Copper’s timing was savage. Angel Reese had just posted her worst rebounding game of the year (just 2 boards) while scoring only 9 points. This came right after All-Star voting returns had humbled the rookie.